Assembly of series-connected envelopes and method of making same



Feb. 25, 1958 T. H. PATTON 2,824,685

ASSEMBLY OF SERIES-CONNECTED ENVELOPES AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11. 1954 Feb. 25, 1958 T. H. PATTON ASSEMBLY OF SERIES-CONNECTED ENVELOPES AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Feb. 11, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 0 55 0 o 010 o 00 o o oo o o o 0 0 PFIEI? United rates Patent 9 ASSEMBLY OF SERIES-CONNECTED ENVELOPES AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Theodore H. Patton, Chester, Conn., assignor to Uarco Incorporated, a corporation of Illinois Application February 11, 1954, Serial No. 409,595 Claims. (Cl. 229-69) This invention relates to an assembly of series-connected envelopes and to a method of making the same.

Modern automatic business machines, such as typewriters, addressographs and the like, may use envelopes in continuous strip form. Such continuous strips are more economical and their use results in a saving of time and labor.

One form of such strips now in use is an assembly of series connected envelopes made up by various methods. In one method complete envelopes are separately made and then detachably connected together in series by detachable marginal feed bands.

In another method envelopes are formed in series by bringing together two webs of envelope material. One of the webs is provided with some heat-sealing adhesive, and heat and pressure are applied at appropriate places to form envelope pockets. Heretotore, it has only been possible by the latter method to form end flap envelopes.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an assembly of series-connected top flap envelopes in which the successive envelopes are formed by bringing together two Webs of envelope material and joining them at appropriate places.

Another object is to provide a novel method of forming anassembly of series-connected top flap envelopes.

A further object is to provide an assembly of seriesconnected envelopes which, when detached, have top flaps adapted to be tucked into their respective envelope pockets.

Still another object is to provide a novel, yet inexpensive, method of forming top flap business type envelopes in which the successive envelopes are formed by bringing together two webs of envelope material, one web being of ladder-like construction, and joining them at appropriate places.

The preferred embodiment and the preferred method of making the same are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the steps in the method of forming an assembly of seriesconnected envelopes;

Fig. 2, a plan view of theface of an envelope detached from the assembly;

Fig. 3, a plan view of the back side of the envelope in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a sectional View taken as indicated on line 4- -4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary plan view of the top web of envelope material in the assembly;

Fig. 6, a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the bottom web of envelope material in the assembly; and

Fig. 7, a fragmentary plan view of the two webs in superposed position.

In the method and embodiment illustrated, a pair of layers or webs 8 and 9 of envelope sheet material are unwound from roll stock 10 and 11. One of the webs may be a heat-sealing, adhesive-coated material which, when subjected to heat and pressure in appropriate places, will secure itself to the other web.

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Before bringing the two webs together, a die-cut is made in-one of the webs between its envelope supporting m'arginal portions 13 and 14. As herein shown, the'die-cut" slug, usually removed by means of air jets (not shown), leaves a generally elongated portion 15 large enough to expose the full top flap area 16 of the superposed web 3, The longitudinally spaced, transversely extending, cut-out portions 15 create a regular'ladder-like effect in the lower web 9, the rungs of the ladder being the back portions 17 which ultimately make up the back side 18 of each of the envelopes.

If printed envelopes are desired, the top Web. is next passed through a printing unit, not shown, where its top side, later to become the face or from Hot the finished A envelope, may be printed.

The sides 20 and 21 of the envelopes and the marginal supporting portions 13 and 14 are then heat-sealed under pressure by passing the webs between the hot metal bars 22. A bottom seal 23 is similarly formed in each envelope by a pair of transversely extending hot metal bars 24. This sealing operation forms a series of regularly spaced envelope pockets 25 in the advancing strip.

This type of sealing means is adapted for use with a press, for example, a New Era Press, through which the webs are advanced by intermittent movement. It is clear that other similar heat-sealing means could be devised to suit the particular occasion. For example, the Webs may be fed into a press which advances them at a uniform 1 speed. Rollers, operating in timed relation to the ad- I vancement of the webs, and having heating bars extending transversely of the web, may. be used to seal the bottoms of the envelope pockets. Annular heating elements encircling both ends of the roller can be used to seal'the envelope pocket sides and the marginal edges of the webs.

A series of regularly spaced apertures 26, providing a pin-feed strip, are next punched in the marginal supporting portions 13 and 14 to accommodate devices having a pin-wheel feed.

A die-cut is then made in the top web 8 as indicated at Suitable means are generally provided to enable the envelopes to be detached from their marginal supporting portions13 and 14 and from each other. Lines of weak-' ening 29 extend longitudinally of the webs to provide 1 lines of separation between the envelope pocket sides 20 and 21 and the marginal supporting portions 13 and 14, and transverse lines of weakening 30 provide lines of separation between the envelope bottom 23 and the top edge of the envelope flap 16. Detached envelopes, as I illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, are formed by merely separating the flap from their marginal supporting portions 13 and 14 and from each other along the lines of weakening 29 and 30. p 7 p If desired, the top envelope flap 16 may be creased at its base, as indicated at 31, to facilitate folding, and the outer edges of the marginal supporting portions 13 and" 14 may be trimmed, as indicated at 32 and 33. After trim-1,. ming, the webs are folded on their transverse lines of and the successive envelopes may be addressed by merely advancing the strip through the machine.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary 1imitations should be understood therefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. The method of forming an assembly of series-connected detachable envelopes comprising the steps of: diecutting a first web of envelope material at longitudinally spaced points and inwardly of its opposite marginal edge portions to form elongated, longitudinally spaced, transversely extending, cut-out portions in the web; bringing said first web together with a second web of envelope material, said second web forming the front faces and flaps of said envelopes so that the cut-out portions of said first web will expose the flaps of said second web; joining the two webs at appropriate places to define a succession of individual envelope pockets, the openings to said pockets extending transversely of the assembly; and providing a line of weakening between adjacent individual envelopes to enable said envelopes to be readily detached from each other.

2. The method of forming an assembly of series-connected detachable envelopes comprising the steps of: bringing a pair of webs of envelope material together, the first of said webs forming the back sides of said envelopes and having longitudinally spaced transversely'extending cut-out portions, and the second web forming the front faces and flaps of said envelopes, said cut-out portions being spaced inwardly of the longitudinal marginal edges of the first web and being positioned to expose the fiaps of the second web; joining the two webs at appropriate places to define a succession of individilal envelope pockets, the openings to said pockets extending transversely of the assembly; and providing a line of weakening between adjacent individual envelopes to enable individual envelopes to be readily detached from each other.

3. The method of forming an assembly'of series-connected detachable envelopes comprising the steps of: bringing a pair of webs of envelope material together, the first of said webs forming the back sides of themvelopes and having longitudinally spaced transversely extending cut-out portions, and the second webfor'ming the front faces and flaps of said envelopes, said-cut -out portions being spaced inwardly of the longitudinal 'marginal edges of the first web and beingpositioned to expose the flaps of the second web; joining the two webs at appropriate places to define a succession of individual envelope pockets and to provide an envelope marginal supporting portion common to the successive envelopes, the openings to saidpockets extending tra'nsverselyof the assembly; and providing a line of weakening between adjacent individual envelopes to enable individual envelopes to be readily detached from each other.

4. The method of forming an assembly of series connected detachable envelopes comprising the steps of: bringing a pair of webs of envelope material together, the first of said webs forming the back sides of the envelopes and having elongated, longitudinally spaced, transversely extending, cut-out portions, and the second web forming the front faces and flaps of said envelopesysaid cut-out portions being spaced inwardly of the longitudinal marginal edges of the first web and being positioned-to expose the flaps of the second web, oneof said webs being treated with a heat-sealing adhesive; applying heat at appropriate places to join said pair of webs to define a succession of individual envelope pockets, the openings to said pockets extending transverselj of the assembly; and providing a line ofweakening between adjacent vidual envelopes to enable individuali'envelbpes to be readily detached from each other. i

5. The method of for'ming an assembly bf series-eon nected detachable envelopes comprising the' 'steps' of: bringing a pair of websof-envel'ope material together, the first of said Webs forming the back sides of the transversely extending, cut-out portions, and the second Cir web forming the front faces and flaps of said envelopes, said cut-out portions being spaced inwardly of the longitudinal marginal edges of the first web and being positioned to expose the flaps of the second web; joining the two webs at appropriate places to define a succession of individual envelope pockets, the openings to said pockets extending transversely of the assembly; providing lines of weakening to enable individual envelopes to be readily detached from each other and from the envelope supporting marginal portion; and punching regularly spaced apertures in the envelope supporting marginal portion to facilitate the feed of the assembly through a writing machine.

6. An assembly of series-connected detachable envelopes for use in a writing machine, comprising: a pair of webs of superposed envelope sheet material, the first of said webs having portions forming the fronts and transversely extending flaps of said envelopes, and the second "of said webs having a series of transversely extending cut-out portions extending inwardly of its opposite marginal edge portions and being longitudinally spaced to provide an envelope back portion between adjacent cut-out portions, each of the spaced cut-out portions e'xp'osing'a transversely extending envelope flap on the first web, each back portion overlying and being joined to 'a'corre'sponding envelope front to form a succession of'individual envelope pockets, the opening of each of said pocketsext'ending transversely of the assembly, sa'id assembly being provided with a line of weakening between adjacent individual envelopes to enable said-erivel'opes to be readily detached from each 1 other.

7. An assembly of series-connected detachable envelopes as specified in claim 6, in which the envelope assembly is provided with an envelope supporting marginal portion common to the successive individual envelopes, said envelope supporting marginal portion being separated from the series of envelopes by a longitudinally extending line of weakening.

8. An assembly of series-connected detachable envelopes as specified in claim 6, in which longitudinally extending envelope supporting marginal portions are provided on each side of the assembly, each of said portions having regularly spaced apertures to facilitate the feeding of the assembly through a writing machine.

9. An assembly of series-connected detachable envelopes as specified in claim 6, in which the front and back portions of the webs are generally rectangular in configuration and have transverse bottom edges and opposite side edges lying adjacent each other, the corresponding bottom and side edges of each superposed front and back portion being adhered together by a heatsealing adhesive in a U-shaped pattern to form a pocket having a transversely extending opening.

10. An assembly of series-connected detachable envelopes as specified in claim 6, in which the opposite ends of each flap are die-cut to permit each fiap to be folded into its respective envelope pocket when detached from the assembly.

ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 699,875 Johnston May 13, 1902 1,702,115 Gurwick Feb. 12, 1929 1,714,265 G'urwick May 21, 1929 1,860,965 Stone .1. May 31, 1932 1,951,040 Stone et al Mar. 13, 1934 2,102,001 Heywood Dec. 14, 1937 2,342,702 Sherman Feb. 29, 1944 2,351,805 Bonnaire June 20, 1944 2,372,008 Kruger Mar. 20, 1945 2,474,775 Borchers June 28, 1949 2,722,369 Reuter Nov. 1, 1955. 2,723,077 Whitman Nov. 8, 1955 

